He whose mind is captivated by the beauty of a figure sculptured in a piece of rock, forgets even the fact of the rock being its background. When he rises above this captivation and looks at the figure, he sees the background rock, which supports the figure. When the rock thus receives attention, rock is seen also in the figure, and later on the figure is seen as nothing other than rock.

Enlightenment of truth also comes in this manner. Consciousness becomes dimmed chiefly through one's captivation and abiding interest in external objects. When one outgrows this interest and looks at the objects it will be found that they rise and abide in Consciousness alone. When Consciousness thus begins to receive due attention, it becomes revealed in the objects as well, and they themselves will in due course become transformed into Consciousness. It is the realization of oneself and the entire world as one Consciousness that is known as realization of Truth. ~ Sri Krishna Menon

My favorite teacher, William Samuel, he had a charming sort of down-home sense of humor; childlike, simple, honest, I'd say, and brilliant at the same time-- he was a great teacher who could bring the student to touch down on the Living Presence, to bring us Consciously to be the Peace and Joy he spoke of--and then to maintain It.

Anyway, here is one of favorites, among many--it seems to sum up the Truth so well in such an amusing sort of way --and I've probably pasted this around the internet a millions times but here it is again:

"Every teacher, book, writer, practitioner, sage, guru or peanut vendor, by whatever name, title or label they go by, is an aspect of the Awareness (Identity) "we" are. We take the book from the shelf most likely to render a specific service at a given moment. Exactly so, we have appeared to go to the philosophy, teacher, church, friend, stranger or peanut vendor that has unfolded as sufficient for the moment--but that philosophy, teacher, church, friend or stranger is WITHIN the awareness WE are. So is the peanut vendor. We are forever looking at our Self.".....William Samuel

You are not finished, until you play in that meadow and live there. You can, you know. But only you can take yourself there.

treasuretheday wrote:"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."—Antoine de Saint-Exupery

As I only know the contents of my consciousness, and an outside world is unprovable, all perceivables are only in my mind.

You know only what is in your consciousness. What you claim exists outside conscious experience is inferred.

Is there a world outside your knowledge? Can you go beyond what you know? You may postulate a world beyond the mind, but it will remain a concept, unproved and unprovable. Your experience is your proof, and it is valid for you only. Who else can have your experience, when the other person is only as real as he appears in your experience?